Wooden Artifacts

Rules of Order

I. PURPOSE
The purpose of the Wooden Artifacts Group (WAG) is to improve knowledge of all subjects related to the conservation of wooden objects, to promote proficiency and skill in the practice of conservation of those objects, and to disseminate technical and professional information related to them.

The Wooden Artifacts Group is a division of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC), and is therefore bound by the Bylaws of the AIC and the policies set forth by the Board of that body.

These Rules of Order, and any changes therein, shall require the written approval of the Board of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.

II. MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open to any member in good standing of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.

All members shall have the right to vote on election of officers, changes in the Rules of Order, membership dues, and any other issues on which a vote of the membership is required in accordance with Sections VI, VII, and VIII below.

III. OFFICERS
Officers of the Wooden Artifacts Group shall consist of a Chair, a Program Chair and a Secretary/Treasurer, elected from among the membership. All WAG members are eligible for office. The Chair shall serve a term of two years. The Program Chair shall have a term of one year. The Secretary/Treasurer shall serve for a two-year term. The terms shall start immediately after the Business Meeting at which the election results are announced.

The duties of the Chair are to represent the group interests to the AIC Board; to serve on the AIC Internal Advisory Group; and to run the WAG Business meeting at the AIC Annual Meeting. The Chair will inform the WAG membership of developments within the group through the Specialty Group column of the AIC Newsletter, and through other correspondences whenever necessary. The Chair will appoint, monitor, and coordinate WAG committees, both standing and ad hoc; appoint a Postprints Editor, Wiki Editor, and Listserv Moderator as needed; serve Ex Officio as a committee member of any special WAG projects; and perform any other duties required to fulfill the AIC Statement of Purpose.

The Program Chair shall coordinate and implement the WAG program at the Annual Meeting of the AIC, and assist the Chair as necessary to execute special projects. The Program Chair will elicit and encourage suitable papers for presentation at the annual meeting; meet program deadlines as established by the AIC; provide information and assistance in support of selected speakers; and ensure that papers are submitted in a timely fashion for post-prints publication to the Postprints Editor. The Program Chair may appoint an Assistant Program Chair from among the membership at their discretion.

The Assistant Program Chair will work with the Program Chair in preparing and implementing the WAG program at the Annual Meeting of the AIC. This position is intended as an opportunity to engage an emerging conservation professional and share the duties of the Program Chair in preparing a program for the Annual Meeting.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain a written record of the annual WAG Business Meeting and activities of the Wooden Artifacts Group; report on those activities to the Group; provide the Board of the AIC with copies thereof; and submit approved minutes from the WAG Business Meeting to the AIC for posting to the website. The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain financial records for the Wooden Artifacts Group and its Special Projects Fund, inform the AIC Financial Office of disbursements to be made from funds collected from WAG membership dues and other sources, and provide an annual Treasurer’s Report at the WAG Business Meeting.

IV. Advisory Committee
A standing Advisory Committee consisting of three members shall serve for terms of three years on a rotational basis, with one new member appointed by the current Chair each year to replace the outgoing member. To accomplish this change of term, the three persons appointed in 2012 shall serve terms of different lengths: one for one year, one for two years and the third for the full thee years, thus establishing the rotational mechanism. The Advisory Committee will consist of two members who have previous experience as a WAG officer and a third who has been selected as an emerging professional.
The Advisory Committee establishes a continuum of institutional memory; acts as advisors to the Chair, Program Chair and special project committees; and reviews and approves financial requests for Special Projects Funds following the written guidelines of the SPF. The Advisory Committee is also tasked with membership development, especially among emerging WAG conservators, to encourage and assist members in applying for PA or Fellow status, and work with the Chair in the selection and nomination of future officers.

V. MEETINGS
The Wooden Artifacts Group shall have a Specialty Group Session during the Annual Meeting of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, during which a Business Meeting shall be conducted.

VI. ELECTIONS
The Election of the Officers may be held at the Business Meeting during the Specialty Group Session at the Annual Meeting of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works or by an electronic vote no less than two calendar months before the annual meeting. Ballots received prior to a stated deadline will be counted.

Candidates for the election may be nominated from the floor by members in attendance at the business meeting, or in writing in advance of that meeting, if attendance by the nominator is not possible. In the case of an electronic vote, nominations will be accepted by the WAG chair at least 45 days prior to the annual meeting. The membership will be notified in advance of an electronic election by AIC Newsletter column and by the WAG listserv.

VII. DIVISIONS AND DEPARTMENTS
The Wooden Artifacts Group shall select or identify committees for special projects and events as necessary. Membership is open to any interested WAG members and the WAG Chair. Such committees may be established by a vote at an annual business meeting, and may be granted power to expend WAG funds on special projects that are deemed to be to the benefit of the group.

VIII. AMEMDMENTS
These Rules of Order may be amended, added to or repealed by a majority vote of the WAG members in attendance at the annual Business Meeting, providing that notice of such changes has been made available to the full WAG membership at least thirty (30) days in advance of the annual Business Meeting by the Secretary/Treasurer.

Upon ratification of such amendments by the membership, the Rules of Order thus amended shall be submitted by the Secretary/Treasurer to the Board of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works for approval.

Submitted with approval of Bret S. Headley, Secretary/ Treasurer on April 4, 2012.

Approved by unanimous voice vote of the WAG members at the WAG Business Meeting on May 11, 2012.